Mayor Landrieu and Councilmember Palmer Announce Agency Partnership to Redevelop Former City Incinerator Site in Algiers

May 02, 2014

NEW ORLEANS, LA—Today, Mayor Mitch Landrieu and District C Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer announced that the City of New Orleans and the Louisiana Land Trust (LLT) will partner to demolish the former City incinerator site located at 2300 Hendee Street in Algiers. The blighted, City-owned structure has sat vacant since it closed in 1975. The demolition is the first step in an overall strategy to redevelop the site and put it back into commerce.

“The demolition and redevelopment of this site is long overdue and it is another example of what we can achieve through partnerships,” said Mayor Mitch Landrieu. “Thanks to a lot of hard work and a smart strategy, we are fixing blight faster here than anywhere else in the country. We will continue to work to eliminate blight, including abandoned City-owned property, and return property back to commerce.”

The demolition is estimated to cost approximately $300,000 and will be financed with Community Development Block Grant funding split between the City and the LLT. The demolition is expected to begin later this summer.

“This is an exciting day for Algiers and another example of the value of partnerships between Mayor Mitch Landrieu, New Orleans Redevelopment Authority, Louisiana Land Trust, New Orleans Business Alliance and my office,” said District C Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer. “It is through collaborative partnerships that we are transforming the City of New Orleans. The incinerator has been an eyesore for years, and now it will be a clean site ripe for development.”

“The Louisiana Land Trust is proud to partner with the City of New Orleans and NORA to clean up a severe and long-term blighted site,” says Michael Taylor, executive director, Louisiana Land Trust. “This project extends the great working relationship between LLT, the City and NORA in fighting blight and making this area safer and cleaner. We also want to thank the Office of Community Development, Disaster Recovery Unit for their dedication in helping Louisiana citizens recover not only their home sites, but the surrounding areas that make their communities better places to live.”

In planning for the future of the site, Mayor Landrieu has tasked the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) and the New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA) to lead the redevelopment of the site.

“We have been working closely with the Algiers community for the past few years on priority projects that stabilize neighborhoods and create economic development opportunities.” said NORA Executive Director Jeff Hebert. “This project is one of them and we’re excited to continue our work in coordinating the clearing of the site and on a strategy for the future with our partners at the NOLABA.”

“As the leading organization driving retail growth in New Orleans, we are pleased to bring our retail expertise to the table as we continue our coordinated and collaborative partnership with NORA and the City of New Orleans,” said New Orleans Business Alliance Board Chairman Henry Coaxum.

“This new development site will position the Westbank for continued retail success,” said New Orleans Business Alliance President and CEO Rod Miller. "As our efforts this month focus on ICSC RECon, the largest international retail conference, we look forward to highlighting this property and delivering on our mission to increase revenue for the City by creating a more vibrant retail marketplace in New Orleans.”

“The City has worked hard to prioritize cleaning up commercial blight across the city and Councilmember Gisleson Palmer has been instrumental in helping us with her Algiers Blight Task Force,” said Deputy Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer Andy Kopplin.

In January 2014, an independent survey found that the City has reduced blight in New Orleans by 30 percent between September 2010 and April 2013. The third party validation results are a culmination of Mayor Landrieu’s successful, aggressive, and comprehensive blight strategy launched in 2010. The strategy prioritizes data-driven decision-making, innovative new enforcement policies, and opportunities for reinvestment to grow and strengthen neighborhoods. In 2014, the City is doubling down on efforts to reduce blight across New Orleans and will ensure the tools are in place to keep up the momentum. The 2014 budget invests nearly $500,000 dollars for new inspectors and title research staff to help speed up the process.